HAMBURG
213 aircraft - 74 Wellingtons, 72 Lancasters, 48 Halifaxes, 19 Stirlings. 15 aircraft - 5 Lancasters, 4 Stirlings, 4 Wellingtons, 2 Halifaxes - lost, 7.0 percent of the force.
The bombers encountered cloud and icing and winds which had not been forecast. No clear identification or marking of Hamburg was made. 150 crews reported bombing, 133 believing themselves to be in the Hamburg area, 17 claiming attacks in other places. Hamburg reports thick cloud and heavy rain and says that many bombs fell in the Elbe or in open country. There were, however, 26 fires in Hamburg of which 3 were large ones. Casualties were 3 people killed and 16 injured. 1 bomber crashed in the city's main cemetery, in the Ohlsdorf district; this is where many R.A.F. men who died while raiding this part of Germany are buried in a Commonwealth War Graves Commission section.
15 Stirlings carried more leaflets to France without loss.
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18 Bostons attempted to continue attacks on the German ship at Le Havre but it had been moved. 15 aircraft bombed the dock area. 2 Bostons crashed in the sea.
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MINELAYING
42 aircraft to the southern Biscay coast of France and to the Frisian Islands. No aircraft were lost but 2 Lancasters crashed in England.
